Improvement in keys for doors



thtited gisten @met dtyiyire.

HENRY H. ELWELL, 0F SOUTH NORWALK, CONNNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 108,466, dated. October 18, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN4 KEYS FOR DOORS, &c.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. ELWELL, of South Norwalk, in the county ofFaireld and State of Gonnecticnt, have invented a. new Improvement inDoor- Ieys; and I I-do hereby declare the following, when takenninconnection with the accompanying drawing and theletters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine,and which said drawing constitutes part of this specification, andrepresents in Figure 1, a side view of the key complete;

Figures 2 to 9, inclusive, detached views to illustrate theconstruction; and in Figures 10 Vand. 11, reverse sides of a latch-case,showing the key-hole as for the reception of Vniy irnproved key.a

This invention relates to an improvement in door keys; andA consists inthe construction of the spindle of the key from a' single rod, andcombining therewith the b'ow and bit, each inserted into the spindle,

and secured by the upsetting of the spindle onto the same.

A is the spindle of the key, which I foi'm from round steel or othersuitable wire.

B is the bow, and C the bit, both .constructed from sheetstecl or othersuitable material.

In the end of the spindle a slot, a, is formed, as seen in iig. 8, and agroove, d, cut near the other end, as seen in figs. 8 and 9.

The upper end I1 of the bit U is formed corresponding to the shape otthe groove (l in the bit, audiongitudinally. v

That portion ot' the bit which corresponds to the groove in the spindleI make of dovetail-iorni, as seen in fig. 5, so that, when inserted intothe groove, that portion of the spindle around the bitln'iay be struckdown onto the bit, as seen in fig. 7, and thus securely hold the bit inthe spindle.

The ends i of the bit may project, so that the nietal of the spindle maybe struck into or over suoli projection.

.For convenience of inserting'the bit, I open the grooveslightly` andthis prevents the upsetting of the spindle from changingr the diameteror shape of the spindle at any point.

In the bow, that portion, u, which corresponds to theslot in the end 0i'the spindle (seen in figs, 2 and 3) is also made of dovetail forni, sothat, when set into the end of the spindle, as seen in fig. 6, the endof the spindle may be Struck down and close onto the bowr sntiicientlyto firmly hold the bow and make it, like the bit, practically of one andthe same piece with thespindlc.

The shape of the groove for the insertion of the bit may he varied, itonly being required that it shall be ot`\sncli shape that the spindle'may be struck down and hold it in place, and the same may be said of thebow.

By thi/s construction a v ery light, simple, and cheap key is produced.y

In order to avoid the use of the shoulder on thc key-spindle, which isnecessary to govern the position of common keys in locks, I make thebitof a curved or irregular form, as seen in fig. 5, and in the lockcaseI make the key-hote upon the side D corresponding to the shape ofthebit, and of like shape upon the reverse side, E, as seen in figs. 10 and11, tliereverse side being denoted in tig. 10 in broken lines;consequently the key inserted from one side will strike the case uponthe opposite side, and arrest the insertion of the key in the properposition for turning, and 'no other deviceis necessary to govern theposition of the key.

I do not wish to bc understood as broadly claiming the construction of akey in which the bit and bow are formed independent of the spindle, andattached thereto by soldering or riveting.

I claim as my invcntion The herein-described key, consisting ofthe'spindle A, bit C, and bow B, formed from diiierent pieces of metal,united by closing or stiiking the spindle down onto the bow and bit,they being iiist prepared in the manner substantially as described.

Witnesses: HENRY H. ELWELL.

Lewis F. Bnnns, A. H. TIBBi'rs.

